Description
David Roche, Product Director, Waterstones'Adventure, discovery and a heaped spoonful of learning are all here in this highly enjoyable and rewarding read'Bernard Cornwell, author of The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman, and the Richard Sharpe seriesPerhaps the best historical novel I have read…A stunning achievement
David Roche, Product Director, Waterstones
'Adventure, discovery and a heaped spoonful of learning are all here in this highly enjoyable and rewarding read'
Bernard Cornwell, author of The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman, and the Richard Sharpe series
Perhaps the best historical novel I have read…A stunning achievement of imagination and story-telling. A masterpiece.
Daily Telegraph
'It's an excellent read, in the traditions of Patrick O'Brian, and fully deserves its position on the Booker list'
The Independent
The Spirit of Patrick O'Brian is not far away THIS THING OF DARKNESS IS... a superior adventure story'
Product Description
This is an epic novel of sea-faring adventure set in the 19th century charting the life of Robert Fitzroy, the captain of `The Beagle` and his passenger Charles Darwin. It combines adventrure, emotion, ideas, humour and tragedy as well as illuminating the history of the 19th century. Fitzroy, the Christian Tory aristocrat, believed in the sanctity of the individual, but his beliefs destroyed his career and he committed suicide. Darwin, the liberal minor cleric doubts the truth of the Bible and develops his theory of evolution which is brutal and unforgiving in human terms. The two friends became bitter enemies as Darwin destroyed everything Fitzroy stood for.
Synopsis
This is an epic novel of sea-faring adventure set in the 19th century charting the life of Robert Fitzroy, the captain of 'The Beagle' and his passenger Charles Darwin. It combines adventure, emotion, ideas, humour and tragedy as well as illuminating the history of the 19th century. Fitzroy, the Christian Tory aristocrat, believed in the sanctity of the individual, but his beliefs destroyed his career, and he committed suicide. Darwin, the liberal minor cleric doubts the truth of the "Bible" and develops his theory of evolution which is brutal and unforgiving in human terms. The two friends became bitter enemies as Darwin destroyed everything Fitzroy stood for.
From the Publisher
Long-listed for the Man Booker Prize 2005 Short-listed for the Pendleton May First Novel Award 2005
About the Author
Harry Thompson was a highly successful television producer 'Have I Got News for You, They Think It's All Over, Never Mind the Buzzcocks' and the author of a number of non-fiction bestsellers 'Peter Cook, The Biography'. He wrote for most of the national newspapers, especially on travel, and was nominated for Travel Journalist of the Year. He died in November 2005.
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